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In recent years we have seen the Internet rise in its ability to capture adult media attention to number 2, just behind television. And in addition to that the number of older adults, those 55 years and up now account for almost one-third of all users. So the internet is no longer a young mans game. What these statistics mean for the internet advertiser is that the population of people with money to purchase is continuing to grow as well. Another plus for internet e-commerce is this. We’ve just gone through significant gas price increases and, although they have dropped, we are recently seeing a gradual creep in prices again. More and more focus is being placed upon green power and conservation. This general growth in social consciousness will only serve to fuel internet and shopping cart usage. A final change we can expect to see is more equal usage across demographic groups were, traditionally, higher income families were more likely to shop on-line.

In 2008 over $133 B US was spent over the internet in the U.S. alone and this figure is estimated to increase to over $203 B by 2013. In Canada, by the end of 2007, $13.8 B Canadian of on-line consumer transactions had taken place with this number forecasted to grow to $22.8B by 2012. (eMarketer Feb. 2009) Considering such numbers it is safe to say that any business that has the ability to sell On-line and does not is making a strategic mistake. The good news with these growth numbers is that it is certainly not too late to take advantage of on-line shopping and buying and selling over the Internet.

Its difficult at best for anyone who reads a paper or watches or listens to the news to not be feeling down about the current economic reality. As with everything else in life however we can choose to be negative or we can search for the opportunity. And there is plenty of opportunity when we look at the internet. We know that by typing www we have almost instant worldwide fame or infamy. Its easy to get a message or advertisement out to virtually anyone who has an interest in it. When we overlay Shopping Cart technology it becomes even more powerful. Many of us would like to do more for our families and for ourselves but the economic circumstances for many is this is just not possible given what we are bringing home. Internet and e-commerce mean the possibility of multiple income streams are becoming a new option for many. If you have an idea or product and the interest to make them a reality you can also leverage a second or even third income. And the availability of many excellent Affiliate Programs means you don’t even have to have an idea or product right now. You can use someone elses product or service and represent it while you learn the e-commerce game and work on your own idea.

In today’s economy cash stretched businesses are moving away from the traditionally more expensive advertising methods of Newspaper and Yellow Page ads and are taking greater advantage of both the Internet and the many new Social Advertising media such a Face Book, U-tube, Twitter and more. And here’s why! No matter how bad the economy appears, and although it may appear that it is bad everywhere, there are always pockets that continue to flourish and even prosper. This is why the Internet is such an important technology in this economy. These pockets will change over time as different influences kick in or depart. The constant is that your presence on the Internet combined with your e-commerce abilities, means that your business is always open, always available to these people that are still ready to purchase today.

Regardless of any economy there are always people wanting to buy today and people looking to gather information to purchase later. If your product and website are convincing enough and your e-commerce solution easy to use then you will get the now buyer. But the shoppers need to be convinced. Therefore, any good shopping cart will have a capability to stay in touch with the shopper. The wise internet seller can source other technologies that can work with their shopping cart and e-commerce programs to deliver on-going campaigns keeping your prospects up to date and interested in your products and services. This means they don’t have to constantly surf your site to see when a sale or other special is on. For an example of a company with an excellent marketing campaign technology check out www.AutomatedMarketingSolutions.com. The social networks such as Face Book, U-tube and Twitter are also excellent ways to build rapport and credibility with future buyers so that when it does come time to buy, your name and product are at the top of their mind. These media provide excellent ways of measuring the reception of your products and services and gauging the readiness of the public for an idea you may have. Therefore, don’t limit yourself in how you reach out to your current and future prospects and customers.

Given the impressions we all may have about larger companies we can still learn much. For example a report released in February 2009 discussed the top 10 priorities CMO or Chief Marketing Officers in America were considering as their top 10 priorities for this year. Number 2 on this list was the need to develop marketing programs that integrate both the internet and their traditional media. Doing this provides advertising cost cutting and reduces other overheads. These same advantages accrue to the small to medium business as well as the entrepreneurs working out of their home. The simplicity with which an on-line enterprise to advertise, buy and sell over the internet can be set up brings it within reach of more and more of us looking for that second income. What will differentiate us and our success will be how effective we are in using these tools to attract, convert and retain.